Windshield or window construction



Aug. 21, 1945. H. M. DODGE WINDSHIELD OR WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan.10, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Enventor HENKY M. 000 5.

Clttomcg Aug. 21, 1945. H. M. DODGE WINDSHIELD OR WINDOW CONSTRUCTIONFiled Jan. 10. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Ittorneg Patented 21, 1945 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE Q WINDSHIELD CONSTRUbTION Henry M. Dodge,

Perrysburg, Ohio, assignor to Libbcy-OWens-Ford Glass Company, Toledo,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 10, 1942, Serial No.426,333

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to windshield and/or window constructionsparticularly adapted for use in airplanes and other aircraft althoughnot restricted thereto.

An object of the invention is the provision of an improved type ofwindshield or window embodying two or more sheets or plates of glassarranged in edge to edge relation anddisposed either in the sameplane orat an angle with respect to one another.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedwindshield or window of the above character, in which the glass sheetsor plates are associated with one another in such a manner thatobstruction to vision is reduced to a minimum.

A further object -of the invention is the proplates are mounted in ametal supporting frame in such a way that the said sheets or plates willbe cushioned against mechanical vibration, shocks, torsional stresses,etc. of the plane'when in flight, thereby reducing or eliminating thetendency of cracking" or shattering of the glass 1.0m such causes.

A .still further object of the invention is the provision ,1 an improvedwindshield or window of the above character, in which the glass sheetsor plates are associated with one another and with the metal supportingframe to provide an integral unit construction and characterized by thefact that the glass and metal will be permitted to expand and contractrelative to on another without resulting in breakage of the glai orloosening of-t'he said sheets or plates in the supporting frame. p

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentduring the course of the following description, when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.-

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one type of airplare with'which thepresent invention may be use Fig. 2 is a front view of an improvedwindshield provided by the invention;

Fig. 3 is a side' view thereof Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal sectiontaken sub stantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

vision of an improved windshield or window of the above character, inwhich the glass sheets or Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of onecorner of the windshield, partially in section; and Fig. 8 is adiagrammatic representation of an autoclave, partially in section, inwhich the windshield may be fabricated.

provided with upper and lower wings I4 and i5 respectively and a cockpithaving the transparent closures it which substantially completelyenclose the pilot and enable him to have a wide sphere of vision. Thetransparent closures 18 include thewindshield which is located in frontof the pilot and the windows arranged alongopposite sides of'the plane.It will of course be appreciated that the airplane herein disclosed issimply one type of plane with which the present invention may be usedand that the invention is adapted for use in aircraft of all kinds.

In Figs. 2 to 7 is disclosed a transparent closure 16 constituting thewindshield of the plane and composed of three transparent panels ll, I8and i9 mounted in a metal supporting frame 20. The transparent panel I!constitutes the front or central panel of the windshield and thetransparent panels l8 and IS the side panels or wings which are disposedin edge to edge relation with Figs. 5 andB aredetail vertical sectionstaken the central panel and extend rearwardly and outwardly at an anglewith respect thereto. The central panel I1 preferably consists of asheet of laminated safety glass including the two sheets of glass 2| and22 and an interposed layer of plastic material 23 adherent thereto. Eachof the side panels l8 and I9 also comprises a sheet 3 of laminatedsafety glass including the two sheets of glass 24 and 25 and interposedadherent layer of plastic material 26.

The glass sheets 2l22 and 2425 maybe either fully tempered orsemi--tempered or may consist of ordinary plate or window glass.Likewise, any desired combination of glass sheets may be employed. Eachplastic interlayer 23 and 26 preferably comprises a sheet of syntheticresin material, such as polyvinyl acetal resin. By way of exampleonly,'the plastic interlayers may be formed of polyvinyl butyr acetalresin plasticized with approximately 37 parts dibutyl sebacate per partsof resin by weight; However, diflerent plastics varying in thickness andphysical characteristics may be employed and the invention is notlimited to any particular resin, class of resins, cellulo'sicderivatives or the For the purpose of reducing obstruction of vision toa minimum as well as for securing the meeting edges of adjacent panelsl1, l8 and I2 to one another, there is arranged between the verticaledges of panels I! and It a strip'of transparent plastic material 21,while a similar strip of transparent plastic material 28 is disposedbetween'the vertical edges of panels I1 and I9. The strips 21 and 28 maybe formed of a plastic material similar to that used forthe plasticinterlayers of the transparent panels l1, l8 and I9 .or any othersuitable plastic may be employed. The plastic strips are adapted tofirmly adhere to the peripheral edges of the glass sheets of adjoiningpanels as well as to the exposed edges of the plastic interlayersthereof, as will be more fully hereinafter described. The adjacentvertical edges of the transparent panels may or may not be ground andpolished as desired.

The metal supporting frame 20 is of channel formation and is adapted tofit around the outer edge portions of the transparent panels. Moreparticularly, the metal frame includes a channel 29 having a centralportion a fitting over the upper edge of central panel I! and dependingend portions b and c fitting over the outer edges of the side panels i8and I8 respectively. The channel 29 may be formed of a single length ofmetal bent to the proper shape, or the portions a, b and thereof may beformed of separate strips welded or otherwise suitably secured togetherat the two upper corners of the windshield, as indicated at 30. As bestshown in Fig. 5, the channel 29 comprises a bottom wall 3| disposedopposite the peripheral edges of the transparent panels and inwardlydirected side walls 32 and 33 which overlap the marginal face portionsof said panels.

The supporting frame 20 also comprises a channel 34 arranged along thebottom of the windshield and including a central portion it fittingoverthe bottom edge of the central panel I! and side portions e and ffitting over the bottom edges of the side panels I 8 and I9respectively. The channel 34 comprises an inner member 35 and an outermember 36 having portions disposed opposite the inner and outer faces ofthe panels. Formed integral with the outer member 26 is a horizontalportion 31 disposed opposite the peripheral edges. of the panels andconstituting the bottom wall of the channel, said a of plastic materialcompletely surround the edges of the panels and engage not only themarginal faces thereof, but also their peripheral edges. The plasticmaterial 43 and 44 may be the same as that used forthe strips 27 and 28between the edges of adjacent panels or ofsome other suitable type ofplastic.

In fabricating the windshield, the transparent panels l1, l8 and i9 arefirst properly associated with one another and the strips of plasticmaterial 21 and 28 placed between and in contact with the adjacent edgesof adjoining panels. The channels 28 and 84 of the metal frame 20 arethen fitted around the outer edges of the panels and the channel 28secured to channel 86 by the screws 4i. Upon tightening of the screws M,the edges of the panels will be held tightly against the strips ofplastic 21 and 28 and, at the same time, the outer edges of the panelswill be pressed firmly against the layers of plastic material 38 and (itwithin the channels 29 and 35.

One or any suitable number of assembled windshields indicated by theletter'A are then adapted to be placed in an autoclave 45 illustrateddiagrammatically in Fig. 8. This autoclave may be heated in any desiredmanner and is provided with inlet and outlet connections 48 and (ii forthe introduction of air or a suitable pressing fluid and the exhaustingof the same therefrom. Upon being placed in the autoclave, thewindshield assemblies A are subjected to heat and pressure sufilcient tocause a softening of the strips of plastic material 21 and 28 and thebonding of them to the edges of the panels, The plastic strips will becaused to adhere not only to the edges of the glass sheets but alsoto-the plastic interlayers whereby to firmly secure the panels togetherat their meeting vertical edges' Simultaneously, the layers of plastic43 and 44 within the channels 29 and 34 will also be softened and willbe caused to adhere both to the panels and to the metal channels toprovide an integral unit construction. In some cases, it may benecessary to subject the windshield assembly to heat. only.-

Due to the provision of the transparent plastic strips 21 and 28obstruction to vision will be reduced to a minimum and so-called "blindspots" attending the use of the customary vertical posts or bars will beeliminated. The layers of plastic material 48 and 44 within channels 28'and 84 form, in effect, yielding or pliable gaskets around horizontalportion terminating in an outwardly directed flange 38 secured in anysuitable manner to the inner member 25. Carried by or formed integralwith the inner member it is a depending angular skirt 38 forming anattaching portion by which the windshield may be se- 1 cured in place..The outer member 36 may be formed of a single length of material or of aplurality of separate pieces secured together by bracket plates or thelike 40.

The opposite end portions of the channel 28 are secured to the oppositeends of channel 34 in any desired manner such as by means of screws orthe like 4| which pass through the bottom wall 3| of channel 29 and arethreaded 7 within a block welded or otherwise suitab secured to theflange 28 of member 38.

As best shown'ln Figs. 5 and 6, the channels 28 and 34 are relativelywider than the transparent panels and. inserted within the channels 29and 34, in surrounding relation to the marginal portions of the panels,are'layers of plastic material the marginal portions of the panels whichare received in the metal channels and serve to "cushion". th panelsagainst mechanical vibration,

shocks, torsional stresses, etc. of th plane-when in flight, therebyreducing or eliminating the tendency of cracking or shattering of theglass from such causes. Likewise, due to theprovision of the plasticgaskets 43 and 44, the glass panels and metal frame will be permitted toexpand and contract relative to one another without resulting inbreakage of the'glass or loosening of the sheets or plates in the metalframe.

The invention is of course not limited to a windshield embodying theparticular arrangement of transparent panels herein disclosed or to theparticular type of supporting frame therefor. On the other hand,the'invcntion is applicable to a wide variety of Windshields and/orwindows including either in the same plane or at an angle with spect toone another. as well as to difiercnt types of supporting framestherefor. I

It is to be understood that the form of the in- 42 and respectively. Inother words,thelayers. :svention herewith shown anddescribed is ,to betaken as the preferred embodiment oi the same, and that various changesin the shape, size and arrangement oi parts may be resortedta withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subioinedclaims.

I claim: 7

1. The method of producing an integraltransparent closure unit,comprising assembling a plurality or transparent panels in edge to edgerelation with a layer of plastic material between the adjacent edges oithe panels, arranging a'frame around the periphery of said assembledpanels with a plastic material disposed between the periphery oi thepanels and said frame, and then app ying pressure and heat to bond saidpanels and frame together into a composite structure.

2. The method. 1' producing an integral transparent closure unit,comprising assembllngja plurwith a plastic material disposed between theperi- 'phery of the panels and said frame, and then 'applying heat tobond said panels and frame together into a composite structure.

- HENRY M. DODGE.

